Supervisory illuminated control diagram



Feb. 27, 1934. O.-PLECHL SUPERVISORY ILLUMINATED CONTROL DIAGRA" Filed March 5, 1931 til till

Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES EUPVISQRY JILLUMINATED EONTROL DIAGRAM @tto Pleclil, lfailstatten, near Vienna, Austria, assignor to Aktiengesellschaft Brown Boveri & Cie, Baden, Switzerland, a joint-stock company all Switzerland Application March 5, 1931, Serial No. 520,315

I In Austria March 6, 1930 Glaims.

This invention relates to improvements in supervisory control systems and particularly to visible means for continuously indicating the position of the apparatus to be controlled as is the case in the use of the so-called illuminated diagram.

Illuminated supervisory diagrams are usually provided in the supervisory control stations for electric networks, etc. to facilitate the control operation, and are provided with arbitrary or conventional symbols arranged diagrammatically thereon to illustrate, when illuminated, the conditions throughout the system. It is necessary to the complete use of such diagrams that both the positions of the control devices such as switches or valves and the condition of the medium controlled be indicated in all portions of the system. The symbols for switches, etc. must indicate whether the switch is connected to a conductor with voltage or without voltage, or whether .the switch is disconnected and the symbols for the stationary portions of the system must indicate the absence or presence of voltage.

It is, therefore, among the objects, of the present invention to provide a supervisory control diagram structure in which both the position and the voltage condition of the switches is indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supervisory control diagram structure in which the voltage condition of the switches and of the connecting conductor is shown in similar colors as an optical unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supervisory control diagram structure of the illuminated type in which the switches and means connected with the conductors cooperate to indicate the'voltage condition of the switches.

Objects and advantages, other than those above set forth, will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 illustrates a portion of a panel carrylng transparencies in the form of symbols denoting apparatus to be controlled, which transparencies are adapted to be illuminated, by suitable means, in colors indicating the condition or" the apparatus to be controlled.

Fig. 2 illustrates a variation of the symbol to be used to designate switches on the illuminated diagram panel;

Fig. 3 illustrates a further modification of a switch symbol to be used on the illuminated diagram panel, and

Fig. 4 is a diagram of connection illustrating the manner in which the illumination of the several symbolsis controlled from the apparatus to be controlled.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, the reference numeral 6 designates an opaque panel having transparent portions or transparencies therein shaped as symbols such as are predetermined for use or are conventionally used to designate various types of electric apparatus. Thus, reference numerals '7 and 8 designate symbols indicating generators, symbols 11 and 12 indicate switches connecting the generators to bus-bars indicated by symbols 13 and 14, and 16 and 17 denote switches con necting the bus-bars to a line indicated at 18. The symbols are illuminated from the rear of the panel 6 by lamps of various colors, arranged thereon in any preferred manner such, for example, as shown in the copending application of Otto Plechl and Johan Latzko, Serial No. 389,020, filed August 28, 1929, and controlled. as will be set forth hereinafter.

Instead of using the symbols 16 and 17, as

shown, to indicate switches, the symbols may also be made as shown in Fig. 2 in which portion 16a may be illuminated by lamp 24 to show that the switch is disconnected, portion 16b may be illuminated by lamps 25 or 26 to show that the switch is in the connected position and is under voltage or without voltage respectively, or portion 160 may be illuminated by lamp 24 to show that the switch is disconnected. A member 23, such as a. pointer, movable into the position shown, may also be used to indicate thatthe switch is disconnected.

Considering only the indications necessarily given by a symbol to indicate the positions and condition of electric lines or apparatus, it is apparentt-hat such symbols should indicate at least five conditions; namely, for lines under voltage, and without voltage, for apparatus such as switches, connected with a conductor under volt- .age, connected with a conductor without voltparencies shown will be white. If switches indicated by symbols 11 and 12 are now disconnected, the corresponding switch symbols will be illuminated by the red lamp and the busbar 13 and line 18' will be without voltage and will, therefore, be illuminated by the green lamp. Switch 16', being connected to conductors without voltage, will show a green color so that symbols 13, 16 and 18 will be shown as an optical unit.

The several lamps are controlled directly from the apparatus to be controlled and of which the conditions are to be shown by illumination of the symbols. Each of the switches, as shown at 16' and 17, is provided with an auxiliary contact 21, 22, respectively, which partially controls the energization of lamps 24, 25 and 26 for the switch 16' and of lamps 2'7, 28 and 29 for the switch 17 from an auxiliary source of current 31. The lamps 24, 29 indicate that switches 16' and 17' are disconnected and are, therefore, red. Lamps 25, 28 are green and indicate that the switches 16' and 17 are connected with a conductor without voltage and lamps 26, 27 are white and indicate that switches 16' and 17 areconnected with a conductor under voltage.

It will be understood that line 18' is subject to only two conditions, i. e., under voltage and without voltage and, therefore, requires only two lamps 33 and 34 which are controlled by a switch 36 which also aids in controlling the lamps of switches 16 and 1'7. Switch 36 is operated by an electromagnet 3'7 energized from a transformer 38 in response to voltage in line 18'. Thus, when the two correspondingly located switches 16 and 17' are disconnected to deenergize line 18', their auxilitary contacts 21 and 22 make contact to energize lamps 24 and 29 which are red and the symbols, therefore, indicate that the switches are in their disconnecting position. If one of the switches, such as 16', is closed and switch indicated by symbol 11 is also closed so that line 18' receives voltage from one generator, switch 36 will close. Previous closing of switch 16' has caused movement of contact 21 to the position'shown in the drawing in Fig. 4 and closing of switch 36 established the circuit for connection of lamp 26 with source 31. White lamp 26 will, therefore, illuminate the symbol of switch 16' showing that the switch 16 is connected with a conductor carrying voltage.

It will be understood that only a portion of an illuminated diagram, such as is used for an extensive installation, is shown, and that similar portions of the diagram are used for similar portions of the installation to be supervised. Although the invention has been described with relation to electric installations, it is apparent that it may also be used for installations for distributing steam, water or any other flowing medium.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it

will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1..In a selective signaling system, an electric circuit, apparatus adjustable to one and another position to permit and prevent the application of electrical potential thereto, an opaque panel having transparencies symbolic of said apparatus and to indicate the application and non-application of potential to said circuit, a plurality of signal lamps operable to illuminate said transparencies in different colors to thereby indicate the adjusted positions of said apparatus and the application and non-application of potential of said circuit, and means actuated to one position responsive to application of potential to said circuit and actuated to another position upon cessation of application of potential to said circuit operable thereat to control the selective operation' of certain of said lamps, the cojoint adjustment of said apparatus to the said one position thereof and the actuation of said means to the one and another position thereof being operative to selectively cause operation of certain other of said lamps, and the adjustment of said apparatus to the said another position thereof being operative to cause operation of another of said lamps.

2. In a selective signaling system, conductors subject to the application of electrical potential thereto, apparatus adjustable to one position to. permit application of said potential to said condoctors and adjustable to another position to prevent application of potential to said conductors, relay means adjustable to one position upon the occurrence of the application of said potential to said conductors and adjustable to another position responsive tocessation of application of said potential to said conductors, a panel having a configuration symbolizing said apparatus, and a plurality of devices operable to cause said configuration to indicate the adjusted positions of said apparatus and the application and cessation of the application of said potential to said conductors, the cojoint adjustment of said apparatus and said relay means to the said one positions thereof being operative to cause operation of one of said devices, the cojoint adjustment of the said apparatus to the said one position thereof and the adjustment of the said relay means to the said another position thereof being operative to cause operation of another one of said devices, and the adjustment of said apparatus to the said another position thereof being operative to cause operation of a third of said devices.

3. In a selective signaling system, conductors subject to the application of electrical potential thereto, a switch adjustable to one position to permit the application of said potential and adjustable to another position to prevent the application of saidpotential to said conductors, 25 an opaque panel having transparencies symbolic of said conductors and said switch, a plurality of signal lamps selectively operable to illuminate said transparencies in different colors to thereby indicate the application and non-application of said potential to said conductors and to indicate the adjusted positions of said switch, means actuated to one and another position in dependence upon the application and non-application of said potential to said conductors operable to selectively cause operation of certain of said lamps, the cojoint adjustment of said switch to the said one position thereof and the actuation of said means to the said one and another position thereof being operable to selectively cause operation of certain other of said lamps, and the adjustment of said switch to the said another position thereof being operative to cause operation of another one of said lamps.

4. In a selective signaling system, switching apparatus adjustable to circuit closing position to permit application of electric potential thereto and adjustable to circuit opening position to prevent application of said potential thereto, a panel having a transparency symbolic of said 150 apparatus, a plurality of lamps selectively operable to illuminate said trency in diflerent colors, means adjustable toone position responsive to application of said potential and adjustable to another position responsive to the cessation of application of said potential, the cojoint adjustment of saidapparatus to the said circuits closing position thereof and the said means to V the said one position thereof being operative to cause operation of one of said lamps to illuminate said transparency in one color to thereby indicate the adjusted position of said apparatus and the application of potential to said circuit, the cojoint adjustment of said apparatus to the said circuit closing position thereof and the said means to the said another position thereoi being operative to cause operation of a second of said lamps to illuminate said transparency in another color tothereby indicate the adjusted position of said apparatus and the nonapplication of potential to said circuit, and the adjustment of said apparatus to the said circuit opening position thereof being operative to cause operation of a third one of said lamps to illuminate said transparency in a third color to thereby indicate the adjustment of said apparatus to said circuit opening position, the adjustment of said apparatus to the said circuit opening position thereof being also operative to prevent operation of the said one and said second lamps.

5. In a selective signaling system, conductors subject to the application of electrical potential thereto, a switch adjustable to circuit closing position to permit said application of said po-, tential and adjustable to circuit opening position to prevent said application of said potential, a panel having configurations symbolizing said conductors and said switch, a plurality of lamps operable to illuminate said configurations in different colors to thereby indicate the application and non-application of said potential to said-conductors and to indicate the adjusted positions of said switch, means adjustable to one position responsive to application of said potential to said conductorsoperable thereat to cause one of said lamps to illuminate one of said configurations in one color and adjustable to another position upon cessation of application of said potential to said conductors operable thereat to cause a second one of said lamps to illuminate the said one configuration in another color, the coioint adjustments of said switch and said means to the said one positions thereof being operable to cause operation of a third one of said lamps to illuminate another of said configurations in one color, the cojoint adjustment of said switch to the said one position thereof and the adjustment of said means to the said another position thereof being operative to cause operation of a fourth one of said lamps to illuminate the said another one of said configurations in a second color, and the adjustment of said switch to the said another position thereof being operative to cause operation of a fifth one of said lamps to illuminate the said another configuration in a third color,

the adjustment of said switch to the said circuit opening position thereof being operative to prevent the operaton of the said third and said fourth ones of said lamps.

OTTO. PLECHL. 

